Strap fastener



M. PAYNOR 3,452,405

July 1, 1969 STRAP FASTENER Filed April 24, 1967 INVENTOR, Me Zvvz Pa ynm",

BY a f A a s.

US. 1]. 24-265 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fastening assembly for securing the end of an elongated strap to a wall including an outer plate mounted on the outer surface of the wall and an inner plate interlocked to the outer plate and mounted on the inner surface of the wall, the strap extending through openings in the inner and outer plates and through the wall and being secured to the inner plate by an offset portion of the inner plate, whereby an outer force exerted on the strap will be absorbed by the interlocked inner and outer plates so as to avoid the tendency of the strap to tear through the wall when the force is exerted thereon.

Background of the invention The strap fastener of the present invention has particular application in securing the end of an elongated strap to a wall of a handbag. The bag handle securing devices known heretofore have generally been of the type that have been secured directly to the wall of a handbag and thus depended upon the strength of the material from which the wall was constructed for the mounting thereof and for preventing tearing of the wall during handling of the handbag. In such constructions where the handbag strap handle was secured directly to the wall of the bag, the life of the bag was materially decreased since the carrying strap had a tendency to become loose after only a short period of use of the bag. Some attempts have been made to improve bag handle fastening devices, one such construction being shown in Patent No. 3,279,512. In the fastening assembly shown in Patent No. 3,279,512, a satisfactory construction was produced and did prevent the strap from tearing through the wall of the bag. However, the construction of the device illustrated in the aforesaid patent did require a clinching operation in the assembly procedure that is now avoided by the present invention.

Summary of the invention The present invention relates to a fastening assembly for securing the end of an elongated strap to the wall of a handbag, wherein the wall has an opening formed therein for receiving the strap end therethrough. In order to mount the strap in position, an outer plate is secured to the outer surface of the wall and has an opening formed therein that communicates with the opening in the wall. An inner member is mounted on the inner surface of the wall in interlocking relation with the outer plate and has an opening formed therein that communicates with the openings in the wall and outer plate. The strap end projects through the openings in the outer plate wall and inner member, and the inner member is formed with an offset portion that defines a slot through which the strap extends. Formed on the offset portion are looking teeth that extend in the direction of the Wall and engage the strap end that extends through the slot as defined by the offset portion. The strap end is thus locked in place in the wall of the bag, upon the interlocking of the inner and outer plates, and any forces exerted on the strap are absorbed by the interlocked outer and inner plates.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide nited States Patent 3,452,405 Patented July 1, 1969 a unique fastening assembly for securing the end of a carrying strap in the wall of a handbag.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the attachment of a carrying strap on a handbag by locking an inner and outer member on opposed surfaces of a wall of the handbag.

Another object is to provide a unique and inexpensive handbag strap fastener wherein the strap is secured in place by the simple expedient of locking the inner and outer plates in position with the strap disposed therebetween.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

Description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a handbag having carrying straps, the ends of which are secured in place by fastening assemblies of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the assembly position of the fastening device of the present invention and further illustrating the end of a carrying strap in the locked position thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the ornamental outer member of the fastening assembly; and

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the inner member of the fastening assembly.

Description of the invention Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to FIG. 1, a handbag of conventional construction and shape is illustrated and is generally indicated at 10. The handbag 10 includes a body portion that is defined by a front wall indicated at 12, a rear wall, a bottom wall, gusseted side sections 14 that are interconnected to the front, rear and bottom walls, and a top flap 16 that is stitched to the rear wall and that is secured to the front wall by a conventional lock 18, the top flap 16 overlapping the mouth of the handbag. It is understood that the construction and arrangement of the body portion that defines the handbag 10 may be varied in accordance with the requiremnts of the user, and the handbag illustrated in FIG. 1 is only representative of many styles and constructions that may incorporate the present invention to be described.

As will be apparent from the foregoing description, the fastening assembly of the present invention is adapted to lock carrying straps 20 of the handbag in place on the front and rear walls of the handbag. In this connection, each of the carrying straps 20 is formed with strap ends, one of which is indicated at 22 in FIGS. 2 and 3, each strap end 20 being secured to a fastening assembly generally indicated at 24 and that is mounted in place on the front and rear Walls of the handbag body portion.

Referring now to FIG. 4, an outer ornamental member of the fastening assembly 24 is generally indicated at 26 and is adapted to be secured to the exterior surface of the walls of the handbag. The outer ornamental member 26 may be formed in any desired configuration, but, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, is generally elliptical or oval in shape. The outer member 26 is defined by a plate 28 in which a rectangularly shaped opening 30' is formed by striking out tabs 32 therefrom, which tabs, as seen in FIG. 4, project rearwardly with respect to the plate 28 and are rounded on the outermost edges thereof. As will be described, the rearwardly projecting tabs 32 are adapted to be bent into engagement with an inner member for securing the fastening assembly 24 in position on a wall of the handbag 10.

Referring now to FIG. 5, an inner locking member generally indicated at 34 is illustrated and includes a rectangularly shaped plate 36 in which an Opening 38 is formed. The configuration of the opening 38 corresponds generally to that of the opening 30 in the outer member 26, and in the position of use of the outer member 26 and locking member 34, the openings 30 and 38 will be aligned. Located adjacent to the opening 38 and formed in the surface of the plate 36 are depressions or recesses 40, the configuration of which generally corresponds to that of the tabs 32. As will further be described, the tabs 32 are adapted to be bent into engagement with the plate 36 and are received within the recesses 40 in snug fitting relation therein. Formed as part of the plate 36 and located adjacent to the opening 38 is an offset portion 42 that defines a slot 44 (FIG. 3) that communicates with the opening 38. As also will be described, the slot 44 is adapted to receive the strap end 22 therein when the strap is secured to the fastening assembly 24. Formed as an integral part of the oifset portion 42 and extending toward the plate 36 are spaced teeth 46 that are adapted to engage the strap end 22 as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The teeth 46 are somewhat inclined in a downwardly direction, which inclination tends to cause the teeth 46 to bite firmly into the strap end 22 in the securement of the strap end 22 to the fastening assembly 24. Joined to the plate 36 along the periphery of the opening 38 opposite to the teeth 46 in an inturned spacer strip 48. As shown in FIG. 3, the spacer strip 48 extends through the opening in the bag wall and engages the inner surface of the plate 28 so as to prevent the interlocking of the inner and outer members from buckling the wall around the members.

In preparing a wall of the bag, such as wall 12, for securement of a carrying strap 20 thereto, a suitable opening is formed in the wall that generally corresponds to the openings and 38 in the outer and inner members 26 and 28, respectively. With the outer member 26 located on the exterior surface of the handbag wall 12, the tabs 32 extend through the opening in the wall 12 and are received within the opening 38 of the inner locking member 34. The end 22 of the strap 20 is inserted through the openings in the outer member 20, handbag wall 12, and inner member 34, and then extends downwardly through the slot 44 defined by the offset portion 42. The tabs 32 are then peened or bent over in an outer direction and are received within the recesses of the inner member 34 to interlock the outer and inner members in engagement with each other and to the wall of the handbag that is sandwiched therebetween. As indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3 the interlocking of the outer and inner members further firmly locks the carrying strap 20 in position as the teeth 46 bite into the strap end 22.

Since the outer ornamental member 26 and the inner locking member 34 are interlocked to each other through the interengagement of the projecting tabs 32 and the depressions 40, stresses resulting from carrying of the handbag will be absorbed by the outer and inner members themselves. As the weight of the bag produces a downward force on the carrying straps 20, the teeth 46 of each inner member will tend to more firmly bite into the ends 22 of the straps and will more firmly'secure the straps to the fastening assembly. Thus it is seen that the heretofore known tendency of a handbag fastening assembly to tear through the wall of a handbag is avoided, and the fastening assembly 24 will remain in place so long as the outer and inner members are interengaged as illustrated. It is also seen that an additional clinching step is not required for securing the inner member to the strap end 22, since the teeth 46 will be inherently forced into engagement with the strap end 22 as the outer and inner members 26 and 34 are interlocked. In order to secure the strap 20 in place it is only necessary that the strap end 22 project through the slot 44 as defined by the offset portion 42, and since the teeth 46 are inherently forced into engagement with the strap end 22 as the outer and inner members 26 and 34 are interlocked by the peening over of the ends 32 into the recesses 40, the strap end 22 will be securely fastened in position in the wall of the handbag.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described.

I claim:

1. In a fastening assembly for securing the end of an elongated strap to a wall, wherein said wall has an opening formed therein for receiving the strap end therethrough, an outer plate mounted on the outer surface of said wall and having an opening formed therein that communicates with the opening in said wall, an inner member mounted on the inner surface of said wall and interlocked to the outer plate, said inner member having an opening formed therein that communicates with the opening in said wall and outer plate, said strap end projecting through the openings in said outer plate, said wall and said inner member, said inner member including a portion that is oitset with respect to the plane of the opening therein and that defines a slot when said inner member is mounted on the inner surface of said wall, said slot being located adjacent to the openings in said inner member, wall and outer plate and receiving the strap end therein, and locking means formed on said offset portion and engaging said strap end to lock said strap in place in said wall, said outer plate having tabs thereon that roject through the openings in said wall and inner member and that are bent to overlie said inner plate for interlocking said inner plate to said outer plate and in engagement with the inner surface of said wall, said locking means formed on said offset portion including spaced teeth that extend generally in the direction of said wall and that are slightly inclined to the horizontal so as to exert a locking action on said strap with which the teeth engage, and a spacer strip formed on said inner member adjacent to the opening therein on the edge opposite thereof from the slot, said spacer strip extending through said opening in said wall and engaging the inner surface of said outer plate to positively space said inner member from said outer plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,279,512 10/1966 Paynor 24114.5X 3,327,365 6/1967 Damast 33 X DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 150-33 

